# Beshear freezes gas tax, declares emergency to ease pump pain  
**Published:** 2026-05-05T19:05:03.000Z  
**Source:** [Office of the Governor](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2746)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/beshear-freezes-gas-tax-declares-emergency-to-ease-pump-pain

[Governor Andy Beshear announced a series of measures Tuesday](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2746) to provide immediate relief to Kentucky families as [gas prices have surged to over $4 per gallon](https://www.livenowfox.com/news/where-gas-prices-highest-lowest-us), straining household budgets across the state.

[Beshear signed an emergency regulation to freeze the state gas tax at 26.4 cents per gallon, preventing a planned increase to 27 cents scheduled for July 1](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/governor-beshear-freezes-gas-tax-activates-price-gouging-laws-amid-rising-fuel-costs). The governor also declared a state of emergency to temporarily reduce the gas tax by an additional 10 cents per gallon, pending approval from Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. Both regular and diesel fuel will be affected by the actions.

"The American people are paying the costs of the war, and families are struggling at the gas pump, grocery and more – including right here in Kentucky," Beshear said. "I recognize the pain our families are feeling and I'm taking steps to help because it's the right thing to do."

[The tax freeze is projected to save Kentuckians about $1.7 million combined each month, while the emergency order could save $26.8 million over a one-month period](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/governor-beshear-freezes-gas-tax-activates-price-gouging-laws-amid-rising-fuel-costs). Beshear also activated the state's price gouging statute to ensure fuel providers pass savings on to consumers.

The governor's actions come as [Kentucky experienced the steepest gas price increases in the nation, jumping 42.5% year over year from $2.80 to nearly $4 per gallon](https://www.livenowfox.com/news/where-gas-prices-highest-lowest-us). [Beshear acknowledged the temporary nature of the tax reduction, stating the measures can be reversed once gas prices decline](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/governor-beshear-freezes-gas-tax-activates-price-gouging-laws-amid-rising-fuel-costs).

The governor also took additional steps to address affordability. [He signed an executive order to freeze the motor vehicle assessment rate ahead of an expected increase on January 1, and sent letters to Congress requesting a suspension of the federal gas tax](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/governor-beshear-freezes-gas-tax-activates-price-gouging-laws-amid-rising-fuel-costs). [The measure may cause some road projects to be delayed, but Beshear said it's "a small price to pay for families that can't afford groceries and medication."](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/governor-beshear-freezes-gas-tax-activates-price-gouging-laws-amid-rising-fuel-costs)

[Attorney General Coleman said he would sign off on the emergency order, which should take effect by May 11](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/governor-beshear-freezes-gas-tax-activates-price-gouging-laws-amid-rising-fuel-costs). The state's actions precede [an expected price decrease in Jefferson, Bullitt and Oldham counties set to take effect May 27 following EPA approval to remove those areas from the federal Reformulated Gasoline Program](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/governor-beshear-freezes-gas-tax-activates-price-gouging-laws-amid-rising-fuel-costs).

## Sources

- [Office of the Governor](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2746)
- [LEX 18: Governor Beshear freezes gas tax, activates price gouging laws](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/governor-beshear-freezes-gas-tax-activates-price-gouging-laws-amid-rising-fuel-costs)
- [LiveNOW from FOX: Gas prices at highest and lowest in US](https://www.livenowfox.com/news/where-gas-prices-highest-lowest-us)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Office of the Governor, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2746.